Mumbai: Fake pharmacy call centre selling prescription drugs for impotence busted; 2 held

Mumbai: In a major crackdown, Mumbai Crime Branch has busted a racket targeting American Nationals and duping them under the pretext of providing prescription drugs for impotence; and banned sexual performance-enhancing medicines at cheaper rates. The scam was being run in an illegal call centre situated in Andheri East that offered drugs including Viagra, Sildenafil, Levitra, Cialis and others through Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP).

Based on a tip-off, Unit 10 of the Crime Branch raided the illegal call centre operating under the name AMM Call Connect Private Limited. Two people identified as Ashley D'Souza (34) and Mudassar Mankandar (34) were arrested by the cops from the third floor of Sumer Plaza, from where the call centre was situated.

Investigations revealed that 22 employees were working in a year-old fake pharmacy call centre. Modus Operandi the accused used to pick on US citizens via VoIP calls and introduced themselves as an online pharmacy. Speaking in an American accent, the accused would offer to sell Viagra, Cialis, Levitra and banned opioids such as Tramadol for sexual problems like erectile dysfunction, at cheap rates.

Once the sale and the monetary transaction would take place, the accused would go incommunicado.

"They would target US citizens through VoIP calls by claiming to be an online pharmacy. They would offer to sell Viagra, Cialis and Levitra, generic medicines for sexual problems like erectile dysfunction, at cheap rates. Once the sale was made and the payment obtained online, the accused would stop contact with the buyer," an official told PTI.

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A case has been registered for cheating and impersonation under relevant sections of IPC and Information Technology Act and the accused have been apprehended. They will reportedly be in police custody till January 22.

The officials are recording the statements of the operators, victims are being compiled, computers, hard-discs and other equipment, including phones, has been seized for deeper insight to ascertain the scope of the fraud, suggests a recent The Asian Age report.

Inspector Sunil Mane told HT, "We suspect the involvement of some US citizens who were coordinating with D'Souza for the data of citizens and sending money to India through Hawala or bank accounts."

Further probe is underway while the police are on the lookout for accomplices of the arrested accused.